KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 25 — The number of flood evacuees in Terengganu and Kelantan continued to drop as of 8pm, but more residents on the coast of Sabah were evacuated due to tidal surges.

In TERENGGANU, the total of evacuees dropped to 1,628 people from 3,908 people this evening, with 1,215 evacuees in Kuala Nerus, Besut (183), Kuala Terengganu (154) and Marang (76).

The state disaster management committee secretariat also announced in a statement that all relief centres in Hulu Terengganu and Dungun were closed, and only 13 relief centres were operating in four districts, housing 430 families.

In KELANTAN, 5,073 evacuees from 1,692 families are still being housed in 19 relief centres in Pasir Mas and Tumpat tonight, a reduction compared to 7,746 people from 2,561 families this evening.

Also, water levels at two main rivers in the state had exceeded the danger level, Sungai Golok in Rantau Panjang, Pasir Mas with a reading of 9.12 metres (m) and Kampung Jambu, Tumpat (2.61 m).

In PERAK, 62 people from 14 families are still at the Dewan Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Abd Rahman Talib (SMART) in Hilir Perak district as of 8 pm.

In SABAH, the number of evacuees in Kota Belud dropped to 143 people from 58 families from 212 people from 77 families this evening.

Unfortunately, the number of residents in coastal areas, especially those living on stilt houses, evacuated due to tidal surges rose to 1,288 people from 267 families from 1,151 people from 241 families this evening.

From the total, 513 people are in one centre in Sandakan, 54 in one centre in Kota Kinabalu and the remaining 721 people in six centres in Pitas.

In SARAWAK, the number of evacuees remained at 84 people from 27 families at Dewan Serbaguna Kampung Rimba Padi, Serian. — Bernama